Can't Help Falling In Love (16 page)

His lips were a tight line as he propped both hands on his hips and studied her face.
Randa could hardly stand the silence but she forced herself to stand still and wait.
This felt too important to run away from.

When he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, she did too. He said, “Don’t do it,
Randa. Those little games… you don’t need them. You’re smart. You’re beautiful.
And when you’re the real Randa, the one who loves floppy dogs and bright colors, you’re
irresistible.”

She blinked back the annoying tears again and rubbed a hand over the ache in her chest.
Tony wrapped his arms around her and she had to fight to hold in a sob. She lost track
of how long they stood there.

Finally she trailed a hand down his chest and stepped away from him. Maybe Tony was
right. Maybe it was time to retire her sex-kitten gambit and every other play she
had. She could go join a convent. Honestly, until she met Tony, she wouldn’t have
minded so much the convent anyway. Plenty of quiet, comfortable clothes, and no men.
It was sometimes her idea of heaven.

But now she had a new idea of heaven. And Tony was in it. Naked.

“Are we still friends, Tony?”
Do you still want me?
That was the question on the tip of her tongue.

Tony snorted. “Like I said, the real Randa… she’s hard to resist. As soon as
you think you can tell me the truth about why you’re really here, come and see me.”
He kissed her hard on the lips. “Please make it soon.”

Tony stepped back and crossed his arms over his chest. The look on his face said he
was resolute. There was no hope of convincing him otherwise.

And right now she was sort of out of the mood. Damn it.

She rubbed her sweaty palms down her thighs and felt a little kick of satisfaction
when his eyes followed her hands. “Fine. I guess… if you’ve got this, then I’ll
go…” She looked at the door and wondered what she could say here. She could go
finish her report and fire it off right this minute. There was no other reason to
stay here.

Except Tony. And the way he made her feel.

She wasn’t quite ready to go home. She could send the report, but nobody would be
looking for it before Monday anyway.

Finish the report. Send it. Tell Tony the truth. He’d probably be angry that she’d
come here to plot taking over the hotel. She could understand that. He took his job
seriously. And the way he talked about Willodean Jackson told her he wouldn’t be happy
about someone threatening her hotel. Telling the truth was a huge risk. She couldn’t
see a way that he could mess up the deal… would warning Willodean Jackson change
anything? At this point, she wasn’t sure. She only knew that she couldn’t leave without
taking the risk with Tony. The longer she stayed in the hotel, the stronger she felt.
She wanted to go after what she wanted instead of waiting for what her parents would
give her. She wanted a hotel. If they wouldn’t give it to her, then she’d just have
to find another way. She had to make a change. Meeting Tony, who’d started with nothing
to build a life, showed her she had more options than she’d thought.

And maybe it wasn’t just Tony. Willodean Jackson had ignored most of the rules of
decorating and good taste to build a place she loved. It was a place that a lot of
people loved, for that matter. And the more she thought about the Rock’n’Rolla and
what made it special, the harder it was to ignore how much it would suck to tear that
all down. At this point, she wasn’t sure she wanted to be the one responsible for
that destruction.

Misty needed her lobby floor.

And Randa was pretty fond of the sailboat room at this point.

Not that she’d be able to put that in a report.

“I guess I’ll go down and pick up my bags from the front desk. I have to make the
move to the staff apartments. I think we’re going to be neighbors tonight.” She raised
her eyebrows at Tony and waited for his reaction.

He shrugged. “Good plan.”

He didn’t move as she walked to the door. She knew because she did her best to keep
eye contact with him even as it caused a weird kink in her neck. Maybe she wanted
him to stop her, but she took comfort in the way his lips tightened as his eyes locked
in on her rear end. She felt the flutter of desire and nerves and something else as
she watched him watch her. He made her feel beautiful, but more importantly, he made
her feel confident, like she could take on the world because he was right behind her.
That was seductive. And it made her consider just how easy it would be to fall in
love with him.

She paused in the doorway but he didn’t stop her so she pulled the door closed behind
her. She waved at Consuela who was vacuuming in front of a steaming volcano in the
distance. She got on the elevator and punched the button for the lobby. She’d get
her bags. Finish her report and tomorrow she’d hop the first shuttle to Graceland.
Once that report was on its way, she was on vacation. She was in Memphis. She was
going to see what all the fuss was about and work on making a memory or two to take
back to Chicago. She had a feeling when she was back at the family business meeting,
she’d need the memory of this place and this man to remind her what confidence feels
like. She didn’t want to forget.

Chapter Eight

T
ONY HAD A
hard time keeping his mind on the job Saturday afternoon. It was a good thing that
the Rock’n’Rolla had settled back into the well-run machine it was most of the time.
When he’d stepped off the elevator into the lobby after two on Friday afternoon, it
looked like several busloads had hit Laura and the new front desk clerk at once. A
nice cross-section of Elvis fans had cluttered the lobby. Some waited in line to check
in. Others were having mini reunions hidden by the lush foliage. And every man, woman,
and child waiting to check in was decked out for the occasion. It was like the scrum
in front of the gates to Disneyland before opening, except instead of Mickey on T-shirts
and Minnie ears and Goofy hats, there was Elvis, Elvis, and more Elvis. Willodean
would be sorry she missed it. These were her people.

Misty had retreated to her pink bed behind the front desk with a beleaguered sigh
but she was quickly sawing logs again. Tony had smoothly stepped in and rallied the
troops. Sam and the guys on duty at the door had jumped in and soon Tony was handing
out hotel keys to rooms that he’d just cleaned with the most distracting toilet scrubber
he’d ever met.

He’d been happy to see the crowd. Work was always his favorite distraction. This time
it took his restlessness and gave him something to think about other than Randa. Half-naked
Randa.

Tony had to take a quick break to interview two applicants for the housekeeping openings.
Since he didn’t really want to spend more time making beds, he’d hired them both for
probationary periods. For a short window, the hotel would be fully staffed. It would
never last, but everyone needed a breather. Well, everyone except him. He fit best
when everyone around him was stressed, overwhelmed. He could take charge, make quick
decisions, and get things back on track. That’s what he was best at. So he vacuumed,
he hired, he fired, he kept an eye on security, and he would work with construction
crews and decorators and anybody else involved in the hotel’s upcoming expansion.

Today was no different. He needed the confusion and the challenge of sorting it out
to remind him how much he enjoyed his life here at the hotel, even if there was no
long-legged blonde waiting for him in bed. Because he’d had to be honorable. Or noble.
Or stupid.

When Laura ran him off just before four the day before, he’d been dead on his feet.
And looking at another long shift. Somehow he’d managed a quick nap under a Misty
blanket before he went back on duty. That was a blessing. He’d had to force himself
to look away from the door to the small apartment next to his. The one where Randa
was staying and would be sleeping with her head right next to his, separated by only
a wall and his nocturnal schedule.

And so far today, he hadn’t had to force himself to look unaffected around her.

Because he hadn’t seen her.

At all.

He didn’t like that any more than pretending he didn’t want to strip her naked. He’d
been on edge since he’d been back at the desk. Early afternoon was usually busy with
people checking in. Not today. This weekend the superfans were here for the duration,
so now the front desk was more about answering questions, giving directions, and shooting
the breeze with regulars who returned every year for Elvis Week. Laura and Michelle
were taking a break while everything was quiet, and he was left to stare hard at the
door. Or the hallway Randa would use to enter the lobby. Or the door. Or the hallway.

So he was watching when a taxi stopped in front of the doors and Willodean Jackson
and Arlene Masters hopped out in the brightest Hawaiian shirts he’d ever seen. When
they entered the lobby he had to squint to look directly at them. Willodean’s was
neon green, of course. Green was her signature color and he’d never seen her without
it somewhere on her person. Arleen’s shirt was an orange hot enough to sizzle from
across the room.

When the commotion hit the lobby, Tony squinted against the glare and walked around
to greet them just as Laura returned to the desk.

Tony took Willodean’s bag and said, “Welcome home, ladies. We are very glad to see
you.”

Willodean put her hands on his cheeks and Tony dutifully bent so that she could kiss
him and hug his neck. “Oh, Tony, I’ve missed you too! And the place looks great! I
can see by the parking lot we’re at capacity.” She clapped her hands and Misty came
loping across the smooth floor sliding to a sloppy sprawl in front of Willodean. “And
there’s my beautiful girl. Did Uncle Tony take good care of my Misty baby?”

Misty nodded a bit, but she didn’t take her eyes off Willodean’s face. Willodean bent
down to kiss her right between her fluttering green bows, but for once in her life
Misty moved like lightning and slurped her tongue right up Willodean’s cheek.

Willodean was pleased, Arlene was disgusted, Misty was in heaven, and Tony was happy
he’d been around to see the homecoming. “Let me take your bags up to your room for
you.”

Willodean held up one finger. “Just a minute.” Then she scurried across the lobby
to hug Laura and Michelle. Tony scratched Misty’s head while he watched them make
small talk. Finally Willodean waved and said, “Let’s do dinner. My place tomorrow.
Holly will want to see all the pictures.”

Laura sighed. “Oh, yes, she will. My daughter and KT have been busy planning their
own Hawaiian vacation.”

Willodean clutched her hands in front of her. “Like, maybe for a honeymoon?” She said
the last word with a barely suppressed squeal. “A teenage girl along for the trip
might put a cramp in your style but she’d love Hawaii, I just know it.”

Laura laughed. “I’m not sure I’m invited. Those two are thick as thieves and planning
all kinds of adventures like parasailing and volcano climbing and who knows what else
KT will assure me is perfectly safe.” Laura shook her head. “I think I’m supposed
to stay here and work. And I’m not sure I don’t like that plan.”

Willodean shook her finger. “I’m going to put you on my to-do list. I’ll have you
married and sipping frozen drinks on the beach before the end of the year, see if
I don’t.”

Laura blushed a little. She cleared her throat and shrugged.

Willodean’s laugh was wicked.

She motioned for Tony to follow and headed for the elevator. “Arlene, I’ll catch up
with you later, okay? Dinner tomorrow night work?”

Arlene waved and tottered off after Sam toward the employee apartments where she was
staying. She’d come to make sure her grandson didn’t throw away a chance at a good
life, and she’d never left. She, Laura, and Holly had a nice family going while KT
traveled back and forth between Memphis and Los Angeles where he was selling a house
and promoting the show that had brought him to the Rock’n’Rolla Hotel in the first
place.

Willodean drew his attention as she waved a hand in front of his face. “Earth to Tony.
What’s got you distracted?”

The elevator opened and he followed her to the penthouse. She swiped her keycard and
held the door open for Tony and Misty before closing it quietly behind him. He’d often
wondered why she decided to stay in the hotel. Her penthouse was nice with its view
of the pool and the green space behind the hotel, but it was small, two bedrooms,
a bathroom, and an open-plan living room, dining room, and kitchen combined. It was
a nice place, but someone with more money than she knew what to do with should be
living like… well, maybe like Elvis.

Willodean took the handle of her rolling bag and deposited it in one of the bedrooms
before she walked back in and collapsed on the cushy gold sofa. Misty climbed up next
to her, circled three times, and collapsed with a heavy sigh, her droopy ears dangling
off the edge.

Willodean ran her hand down Misty’s back and pointed at an equally cushy chair. “Sit.
Talk to me. What have I missed?”

Tony perched on the edge of the chair and folded his hands together. “We are fully
booked and haven’t had any real concerns. I’ve had some maintenance issues but they’re
taken care of. We’ve also been short in housekeeping but I think I’ve made some good
hires. Consuela’s got some people to work with now. She’ll let me know if we need
to make changes.”

Willodean smiled. “And?”

Tony shrugged. “And I haven’t heard much from the architect or the contractor since
you left, but I’ve got a note to schedule a meeting next week.”

Willodean nodded. “And?”

Tony had already decided not to hit her with his news as soon as she walked in the
door. Randa had kept for a few days, so she could probably wait one more. Unless Willodean
had spies, something he was very sure she did have but couldn’t quite imagine how
they’d know anything about Randa, she couldn’t be asking about what he thought she
was asking about.